Transforming the Corporation

Procter & Gamble are now seen as forefront designers and developers in their industries. After developing many modern conveniences throughout the 20th century, the company fell into a repetitious lull of thinking and conservatism. Instead of chasing design, the focus became on profit margins and repackaging. What seems crucial to change a corporate culture is to hire someone who thinks differently from the current system. Often this aspect comes from outside a company, but P&G hired from within for their vacant CEO position. A.G. Lafley restructured the company completely to focus on design and development. To do this Lafley had to change the complete research and development division, as well as reorganizing the structure of the company throughout the globe. Lafley began by seeking help from outsiders. He hired a new head of design who worked to develop a new process of design in all sections of the company. She works with different managers to help them realize where they can implement design thinking into their work. Lafley also crated a board of designers outside of P&G to critique new ideas. External validation and criticism from respected professionals helps designers focus on important designs and quickly evaluate their products before entering the market.